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Nature
Nature

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of Nature is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Nature
Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
IDEALISM.
THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.
To this one end of Discipline, all parts of nature conspire.
A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.
It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Nature

Chapter VII · Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of Nature is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
IDEALISM.
/aɪˈdiːlɪzəm/
Line 2
THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.
/ðʌs ɪz ðə ənˈspiːkəbəl bʌt ˌɪnˈtelədʒəbəl ənd ˈpræktəkəbəl ˈmiːnɪŋ ʌv ðə wɜːrld kənˈveɪd tuː mæn ðə ɪˈmɔːr.t̬əl ˈpjuːpəl ɪn ˈevəri ˈɑːbdʒekt ʌv sens/
Line 3
To this one end of Discipline, all parts of nature conspire.
/tuː ðɪs wʌn end ʌv ˈdɪsəplən ɔːl pɑːrts ʌv ˈneɪtʃər kənˈspaɪər/
Line 4
A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.
/ə ˈnoʊbəl daʊt pərˈpetʃuːəli səˈdʒests ˌɪtˈself ˈweðər ðɪs end biː nɑːt ðə ˈfaɪnəl kɑːz ʌv ðə ˈjuːnəvɜːrs ənd ˈweðər ˈneɪtʃər ˈaʊtwərdli ɪɡˈzɪsts/
Line 5
It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.
/ɪt ɪz ə səˈfɪʃənt əˈkaʊnt ʌv ðæt əˈpɪrəns wiː kɔːl ðə wɜːrld ðæt ɡɑːd wɪl tiːtʃ ə ˈhjuːmən maɪnd ənd soʊ meɪks ɪt ðə rəˈsiːvər ʌv ə ˈsɜːrtən ˈnʌmbər ʌv ˈkɔːnɡruːent senˈseɪʃənz wɪtʃ wiː kɔːl sʌn ənd muːn mæn ənd ˈwʊmən haʊs ənd treɪd/

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

congruent adjective US /ˈkɔːnɡruːent/

corresponding in character or kind

From this reading “It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.”

conspire verb US /kənˈspaɪər/

engage in plotting or enter into a conspiracy, swear together

From this reading “To this one end of Discipline, all parts of nature conspire.”

idealism noun US /aɪˈdiːlɪzəm/

(philosophy) the philosophical theory that ideas are the only reality

From this reading “IDEALISM.”

intelligible adjective US /ˌɪnˈtelədʒəbəl/

capable of being apprehended or understood

From this reading “THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.”

outwardly adverb US /ˈaʊtwərdli/

with respect to the outside

From this reading “A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.”

practicable adjective US /ˈpræktəkəbəl/

usable for a specific purpose

From this reading “THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.”

receiver noun US /rəˈsiːvər/

set that receives radio or tv signals

From this reading “It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.”

suggests verb US /səˈdʒests/

third-person singular of “suggest” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something

From this reading “A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.”

All words in this reading · 68

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.

accountnounUS /əˈkaʊnt/

a record or narrative description of past events

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading To this one end of Discipline, all parts of nature conspire.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

AppearancenounUS /əˈpɪrəns/

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

CausenounUS /kɑːz/

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.

certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

congruentadjectiveUS /ˈkɔːnɡruːent/

corresponding in character or kind

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

conspireverbUS /kənˈspaɪər/

engage in plotting or enter into a conspiracy, swear together

From this reading To this one end of Discipline, all parts of nature conspire.

conveyedverbUS /kənˈveɪd/

past form of “convey” — (of information) make known; pass on

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

DisciplinenounUS /ˈdɪsəplən/

a branch of knowledge

From this reading To this one end of Discipline, all parts of nature conspire.

doubtnounUS /daʊt/

the state of being unsure of something

From this reading A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.

endnounUS /end/

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading To this one end of Discipline, all parts of nature conspire.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

existsverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪsts/

third-person singular of “exist” — have an existence, be extant

From this reading A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.

FinaladjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəl/

occurring at or forming an end or termination

From this reading A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

housenounUS /haʊs/

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/

characteristic of humanity

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

IDEALISMnounUS /aɪˈdiːlɪzəm/

(philosophy) the philosophical theory that ideas are the only reality

From this reading IDEALISM.

immortaladjUS /ɪˈmɔːr.t̬əl/

Living forever; never dying or decaying. (Bất tử, trường tồn vĩnh cửu.)

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

intelligibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtelədʒəbəl/

capable of being apprehended or understood

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.

makesnounUS /meɪks/

plural of “make” — a recognizable kind

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

mannounUS /mæn/

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

meaningnounUS /ˈmiːnɪŋ/

the message that is intended or expressed or signified

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

mindnounUS /maɪnd/

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

moonnounUS /muːn/

the natural satellite of the Earth

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

naturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading To this one end of Discipline, all parts of nature conspire.

nobleadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊbəl/

impressive in appearance

From this reading A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.

numbernounUS /ˈnʌmbər/

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

objectnounUS /ˈɑːbdʒekt/

a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading To this one end of Discipline, all parts of nature conspire.

outwardlyadverbUS /ˈaʊtwərdli/

with respect to the outside

From this reading A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.

partsnounUS /pɑːrts/

the local environment

From this reading To this one end of Discipline, all parts of nature conspire.

perpetuallyadverbUS /pərˈpetʃuːəli/

everlastingly; for all time

From this reading A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.

practicableadjectiveUS /ˈpræktəkəbəl/

usable for a specific purpose

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

pupilnounUS /ˈpjuːpəl/

a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

receivernounUS /rəˈsiːvər/

set that receives radio or tv signals

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

sensationsnounUS /senˈseɪʃənz/

plural of “sensation” — an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

sensenounUS /sens/

a general conscious awareness

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

sufficientadjectiveUS /səˈfɪʃənt/

of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

suggestsverbUS /səˈdʒests/

third-person singular of “suggest” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something

From this reading A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

teachverbUS /tiːtʃ/

impart skills or knowledge to

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading To this one end of Discipline, all parts of nature conspire.

THUSadverbUS /ðʌs/

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

tradenounUS /treɪd/

the commercial exchange (buying and selling on domestic or international markets) of goods and services

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

UniversenounUS /ˈjuːnəvɜːrs/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.

unspeakableadjectiveUS /ənˈspiːkəbəl/

defying expression or description

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading A noble doubt perpetually suggests itself, whether this end be not the Final Cause of the Universe; and whether nature outwardly exists.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

womannounUS /ˈwʊmən/

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading It is a sufficient account of that Appearance we call the World, that God will teach a human mind, and so makes it the receiver of a certain number of congruent sensations, which we call sun and moon, man and woman, house and trade.

worldnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading THUS is the unspeakable but intelligible and practicable meaning of the world conveyed to man, the immortal pupil, in every object of sense.

Chapter 7 of Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson holds 148 sentences, grouped into 30 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 7 of Nature contain?

Chapter 7 holds 148 sentences of Nature, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 7 of Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 148 sentences, grouped into 30 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 7 of Nature?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 7 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 7 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Nature

Common questions about reading Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Nature?

Yes. All 782 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #29433 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Nature is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #29433, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Nature take to read?

About 65 minutes of reading across 157 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Nature section by section

How to work through Nature section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 9 chapters of Nature to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Nature

Words and structures a reader meets early in Nature, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Subtle
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nature; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Chain
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nature; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Countless
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nature; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rings
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Nature; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.